COLA Clinical Laboratory Workforce Summit in Fort Worth, Texas, Engages Stakeholders in Effort to Train More Medical Laboratory Scientists

Representatives from almost 50 different clinical laboratories, professional associations, and societies came together this week to align efforts to expand the supply and retention of qualified laboratory scientists FORT WORTH, TEXAS—Last week, representatives from a broad cross section of clinical laboratories, lab and pathology associations, public health laboratories, and lab regulatory bodies gathered specifically to identify ways to expand the number of skilled lab professionals. COLA...

Military’s Fifth Health System Market Cuts Costs by Keeping Pathology Services ‘On-base’

Even US military clinical laboratories strive to cut costs, protect quality, and improve outcomes Defense Health Agency (DHA), a part of the federal Department of Defense (DOD), recently launched a plan to consolidate healthcare facilities within certain geographical regions and to unify and integrate the military’s clinical laboratory operations in those areas. The goal is to streamline efficiencies and lower costs while maintaining quality lab testing services.  The DOD operates a nationwide...

Forbes Senior Contributor Covers Reasons for Growing Staff Shortages at Medical Laboratories and Possible Solutions

Factors contributing to shortage of med techs and other lab scientists include limited training programs in clinical laboratory science, pay disparity, and staff retention, notes infectious disease specialist Judy Stone, MD Staff shortages are a growing challenge for medical laboratories, and now the problem has grabbed the attention of a major media outlet. In a story she penned for Forbes, titled, “We’re Facing a Critical Shortage of Medical Laboratory Professionals,” senior contributor and...

Multiple Pathology and Other Healthcare Organizations Request CDC Include Clinical Laboratory Personnel in First Round of COVID-19 Vaccinations

CAP president maintains medical laboratory staff are ‘indispensable’ in pandemic fight and should be in ‘top tier’ for vaccination As COVID-19 vaccinations continue to roll out, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) is lobbying for clinical pathologists and medical laboratory staff to be moved up the priority list for vaccinations, stating they are “indispensable” in the pandemic fight. In a news release, CAP’s President Patrick Godbey, MD, FCAP argued for the early vaccination of...

Why Healthcare Experts Critical of Direct Access Testing Advise Clinical Laboratories to Take Precautions

Test ordering and results interpretation can confuse the public says Dartmouth Institute, which is why some clinical laboratories limit the types of lab tests that people can request Giving consumers direct access to medical laboratory testing continues to be a subject of some controversy. One factor in this debate is Theranos, which brought much attention to direct access testing, followed by extensive news coverage in recent months of its problems with reporting accurate clinical laboratory...
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